Stretch lace Black Covering

Yet another homemade covering is this one made of stretch lace.

I sewed the headband in to the inside.

It's quite comfortable.

My favorite Homemade Covering

This covering is black.

I sewed it 21 years ago and the black has been fading to a lovely purple-ish color.

I sew "clippies" to the inside of my brocade coverings.

One clip for the hair next to my forehead and another for the very crown of my head.

It doesn't blow off in the wind.

You can see I also made one in white that I rarely wear. It looks more like something for a wedding on my dark hair. I added long trim too.

Again, I'm wearing McCall's Jumper 6041 in a light floral fabric.

A Homemade Covering

This covering is blue, and it's homemade.

It's made of brocade.

I'm wearing McCalls Jumper 6041 in the light floral fabric.

Cat and Mice Quilt

This quilt was much more difficult.

I got the pattern for the interior blocks from Paula Nadelstern's book, "Color Design in Patchwork." Each block has 72 pieces, that's why there are only 4 of them. She called that block "Cat and Mice."

I then built out from the center in what's known as the "Welsh" style of patchwork. It has been written that the Welsh influenced the Amish greatly in their quilt tastes. A good book to get is called, "Making Welsh Quilts" by Mary Jenkins and Clare Claridge.

I used Timbleberries for the old fashioned fabrics.

I included a sleeve for wall hanging.

It hung on a wall for 1 year until I tired of it and packed it away in acid free paper in my cedar chest.

Easy 4 Patch Quilt

This one was built to last for a long time. Good thing too because it's been in constant use since 1990. I chose tough fabrics. Denim, twill, & corduroy. I backed it in the highest quality flannel plaid that I have ever seen. You can see it flipped over in one photo. It has little dark red yarn ties to keep it quilted together. I wanted it to look really old fashioned and it does. My sons both love it and take turns with it. It's very heavy. In the photos it's laying on my king sized bed but that's not the bed size it was made for. It is more of a double-bed size.

McCalls 6041

Here I am wearing both parts that come with McCalls 6041 -- the "underneath" dress with lace collar and the jumper over. There is a lot of modesty with the "vest-like" layer over the bosom. I think it qualifies as a katastole which is how we are told to dress in I Tim 2:9 -- you can't see the word "katastole" in English translations but it is there in the Greek. It's Strong's #2689. It is only used once in the Bible and it means "long robe." Kata, in this case means, "long" and stole is a loose outer garment worn by kings and persons of rank.

3 New Patterns

I am very excited about this Butterick Apron pattern #B5509.

It has the Edwardian one exactly like the Sense and Sensibility one that is making its way all over the internet--yea !! The Scarlet Thread has sewn 3 of those for me and they are GREAT. That is NOT all that you get with this Butterick--you get 4 other aprons too. The one I'm so excited about is empire waist w/bib and little gathers around the ribcage. So cute. I think this is a lot of pattern for the money.

Next, call me weird, but I've always wanted to make my own shoes. I know, it sounds a little over the top. Well now I can. I have Butterick #B5233 here on my desk !! Thrilling !! They give 7 different styles. They are a cross between a moccasin and a desert boot (as they were known in the 60's & 70's).

Lastly I have a cute purse with Butterick #B5371. It comes with other stuff like men's wrist bracers which maybe I could make in velvet or something lady-like for myself. It's the little pouch like purse that I liked so much and I have lots of fabric on-hand to experiment with.

Fun, fun.

Easy Whole Cloth Quilt

This is a good beginning quilt.

Click the photo and it will get larger.

Take 2 pieces of 45 inch wide cotton and sew them together with batting between the layers.

Then machine quilt by outlining the shapes in the fabric and meandering in the blank spots.

One side of the fabric is corduroy for warmth and weight and the other side depicts various scenes of old fashioned women which I think are adorable. They are quilting in some of the scenes. Girls are jumping rope in another.

I like fabric that depicts covered women.

The art work in my house has covered women in it too.

I find it peaceful.

This size of quilt is just wide enough to cover one person and you can make it long enough to cover your whole body.

This is good for a lap quilt, as they are known, and in bed when one marriage partner needs more layers than the other one does. That's how I use it.

Cross Stitch Quilt

I love printed Cross Stitch.

This is an almost finished small quilt with pinks and greens.

Everything is done but the binding.

I have a light green fabric ready to turn into binding to finish the edges.

You'll see the "quilting" on the all white photo. The quilting is in the blank part inside the each floral block. It's also quilted on a grid. The pattern provides the quilting outline too.

You'll also see my "future" projects still in their wrappers.

I picked those up in Charm, Ohio from an Amish store.

Can't wait for the free time to dive in !!

Vintage Swimming Outfit

Vintage Bathing Costume with detatchable skirt This is Folkwear #253

The first picture is with the skirt attached.

The second picture is with the skirt detached.

It attaches to those buttons that you can

see on the waistband on the romper/bloomers portion.

The bloomers and the skirt are both knee lenght but it would be easy to make either (or both) of them longer.

The instructions are very clear and very easy to follow. I like the pattern a lot and it came out just as I hoped. It's complicated. There are a zillion pieces and a new seamstress should not attempt it without an experienced person helping. You can trust the directions and just do what they say and it works. I did not really alter anything but I did "tone down" the sailor look by using the same fabric on the collar rather than using a high contrast like white over navy blue. I used black ric-rack over the already dark fabric and that was more subtle than the pattern company's finished photo. It took a lot of time but I like the outcome. I sewed this to actually wear and not as a costume and I love it. I was able to toss it in the washing machine and it came out clean and nice. I wondered if I would sink to the bottom of the lake due to the weight but I did not. It worked great and was a very modest way to enjoy a week with family at the lake this summer. The detatchable skirt is really worth having if you want to wear the outfit to the store or around the kitchen. It's better to not swim with the skirt attached. Folkwear takes apart actual vintage clothing that they find and they create a pattern. Whomever originally created this swimwear was very bright because buttoning the skirt to the waistband of the skirt is very unusual and practical too. Side Note: I did sew the "modesty bib" but I have not used it. I also sewed the cap that comes with the pattern. That was very, very easy to sew and it is soft and comfortable. I have a photo of the cap which will be posted soon. Pardon the wrinkles in my photos; my Swimming Costume had just come out of my suitcase on vacation and I wanted photos before I swam in it. I now know how washable it is and it looked even better right out of the dryer!

My Favorite Patterns

Patterns, these are my favorites. I have many of them photographed but not yet uploaded. I will be adding photos in the near future. In the meanwhile you might have some success putting the patten numbers and company names in a search engine.

Remember: Pattern companies use the same # for different patterns. Most of these
McCall's & Simplicity patterns are old but come up on the internet for sale. The
current patterns that you can purchase easily are from Sense and Sensibility,
Folkwear, the new Buttericks that I mention below and the Paisley Pincushion.

McCall's 6041 Jumper w/dress:


I've made this 6 times using different fabric each time. There are photos of these already here.

The first one I made looks a lot like the pattern cover, same colors, only much
smaller print for the pink & blue floral. I sewed the dress in white and it
looks exactly like the pattern cover.

That worked so well that I sewed it in:

Solid colonial blue with white piping
Dark Red with little faint black roses on it
Dark Purple with little faint black floral pattern on it
Orange and dark Red (very summery) floral
Solid Black Corduroy

I've worn these for 20 years.

I can wear almost anything under them. Blouses, Long sleeve T-Shirts, the
"night-gown" like dress that comes with the pattern, flannel shirts, summer
weight dresses, night gowns of all kinds--because they look like a blouse under
the Jumper. I can wear a flannel slip or petticoat under for extra fullness.

I added side ties at the waist even though the pattern doesn't call for them.
That way I control the fit. I used these during pregnancies and when not
pregnant too.

There is a jumper exactly like it by Sense and Sensibility called the "Romantic
Era Dress Pattern."

There is a jumper that looks like it but is different by the Paisley Pincushion
that I made in a medium light purple print. They call that pattern the Jumper
Dress. I have photos of this pattern already here.

There are good apron patterns they can be aprons or be worn as jumpers:

McCall's 4229 ---called Misses' Pioneer Costumes. You get a dress, a full Jumper
like Apron with flounce, and a bonnet.

McCall's 6135 ----called Misses Jumper, blouse, petticoat and Appliqués. I've sewn the petticoat from this pattern many times. I like it in flannel, both black and in white. I made it in Taffeta and have made skirts from it too. I have not made the Jumper part of this one. This one has its own post dated 5-24-11.

This is a pretty Apron from McCall's "Crafts" it is complicated, not a fast and
easy pattern but it's worth the extra time. It's # 5174. I really like it and have worn it for 20 years.

I have recently sewn McCalls M4548 "Early American Costume" which includes a chemise (photo is already posted here in white). Also included is a nice looking dress, a half apron, and a bonnet which is more like a prayer cap.

I have made New Look 6097 --- in a summer fabric. It's a nice dress and one
version comes with an attached shawl.

I have made Simplicity 4055---the Regency Dress. The pattern was created by the woman who runs Sense and Sensibility. It's okay, not quite as modest as I would have liked but that is fixable with a sweater or shawl. I have pictures and a full "review" of this pattern in a more recent entry.

I have made Simplicity 8006 ----with the stand up collar in a plaid flannel that
looks like high-end velvet. It was such a high quality fabric that it has lasted
me for years. This has a dropped waist rather than a natural waist or an empire
waist. I have pictures and an entry for this pattern too.

I have made McCall's 6126---- and it would be an easy way to make a "plain"
dress. It looks like a button down the front version of the cape-dress, without
the cape.

I have made lots of other patterns, such as sweatshirts, pajamas, swimsuits,
etc, that I won't mention.

Now I want to bring up some more Sense and Sensibility patterns:

Try visiting: www.sensibility.com

A Romantic Blouse---I have the pattern but I have not sewed it yet. It is a lot
like the "under-dress" that comes with the McCall's dress and pattern that I
made so many times. It's the blouse that this company puts under their Jumper
pattern mentioned above. I had one sewn for me which I haven't worn yet.

An Edwardian Apron---I have the pattern but I have not sewed it yet. I have paid
to have it sewn for me twice. It's a good pattern, very well known.

I have 2 new Butterick Patterns:

B5362 which is a very unusual sleeveless dress---or I'd wear it as a Jumper. It
can be baggie or tied in front or tied in back. It's a strange shape and I look
forward to trying this one.

and........

4030 Butterick for a "fast and easy" cape. I'm either going to use this or the
Folkwear cape pattern (below)---I will know soon.

Then there are 2 Birch Street Clothing patterns that sew up pretty but they have
me frightened. I have the spiral Jumper and the spiral skirt. I fear these. I've
seen them made and they are outstanding but I think I am going to run into
trouble due to not having a serger, not having a cover stitch machine and having
to work with rayon type fabrics with a standard machine. So I have not tried
them yet.

Now for Folkwear:

Try visiting: www.folkwear.com

#201 Prairie Dress---------------wow and super wow. I really like this one. It
comes with a half apron. I sewed it in light blue calico. It is fantastic and
VERY full.

I finally sewed this:

#253 Vintage Bathing Costume --I down-played the sailor collar by not using a contrasting color. It comes with a bonnet that they call a "bathing cap" which looks cute. The pattern is based on the 1890 swimsuit. There is a knee length romper, a modesty bib, and a skirt that goes over the whole thing. This was challenging but fun. Photos ARE NOW posted.


Here are the others that I have collected a little at a time but have not yet
sewn:

#206 Quilted Prairie Skirt

#209 Walking Skirt

#123 Austrian Dirndl----which I would alter the neck-line so that's it's not the
"eye-catching" bosom that the creator was going for. This is like a Jumper-dress
and it comes with a half apron.

#230 Model "T" Duster, aka ... a coat.

#203 Edwardian Underthings comes with bloomers (or drawers), camisole, petticoat

#126 Vests from Greece and Poland. I will be making the long Vest of this. I have the fabric and I'm sure that lots of different kinds of fabrics would work for this.

#132 Another cape called the Moroccan Burnoose. I'm going to compare the
instructions and pattern to the fast and easy Butterick cape above. May the best
pattern win.

#266 Greek Island Dress----I can see possibilities galore with this. That double
cape-like shawl feature could be lengthened and it could be a very creative way
to be modest. I'm really looking forward to experimenting with this.

#128 Russian Settlers' ---I'm excited by the this one too. I like the apron
pattern here, can hardly wait to try this. I'm intrigued by the giant blouse
that comes with it---I love giant, comfy clothes.


One last tip is Park Bench patterns. I haven't sewn their patterns but they look
like they would be great for modesty and for "plainness."

Try visiting: www.parkbenchpatterns.com